Johannes Brahms composed the Fourth Symphony during the summers of 1884–85 in Mürzzuschlag, Austria, his summer retreat in the mountains southwest of Vienna. In September 1885, Brahms wrote to Hans von Bülow, conductor of the Meiningen Orchestra, expressing his hope that von Bülow would perform the new symphony. Conductor von Bülow warmed to the new symphony; after his first rehearsal, von Bülow wrote, “No. 4 gigantic, altogether a law unto itself, quite new, steely individuality. Exudes unparalleled energy from first note to last.”
Brahms led von Bülow’s Meiningen Court Orchestra in the premiere of the Fourth Symphony on October 25, 1885. Despite Brahms’ misgivings that the public would not respond well to his “neue traurige Symphonie” (new tragic symphony), the audience applauded each movement.
A contemporary of Brahms reported, “After the public had left the hall, the Duke [of Meiningen] and his entourage along with the foreign guests remained behind in order to hear the first and third movements again. This time Brahms directed with if possible even greater fire and the orchestra seemed electrified…”
The influential 19th-century critic Eduard Hanslick, a lifelong champion of Brahms’ music, included the following in his review of the Fourth Symphony: “Brahms is unique in his resources of genuine symphonic invention; in his sovereign mastery of all the secrets of counterpoint, harmony, and instrumentation; in the logic of development combined with the most beautiful freedom of fantasy.”
Here is my favorite conductor, Carlos Kleiber, to conduct this masterpiece for your enjoyment:
